A history devoid of major success weighs heavily on those with Middlesbrough in their hearts.

After 126 years of hurt, fans yearn for that elusive first trophy while former manager Bryan Robson used the prospect of attaining it as a powerful, but ultimately flawed motivational tool.

His successor Steve McClaren however, is an altogether different animal. As someone who confesses to having been "hopeless" at the subject during his school days, the Boro boss does not care for history and has his sights sets firmly on the future.

For that matter, while today's FA Cup sixth round Riverside clash with Everton is his most immediate concern, it is clear despite his reluctance to expressly say so, that Premiership survival remains a more pressing priority.

"I know Middlesbrough have never won a major trophy, but that was the case when I first came here and just because I'm three steps away now doesn't mean I'm giving it any extra thought," said McClaren.

"I never liked history - I was hopeless at it at school and I'm not thinking about it now. I was useless at geography too so don't ask me where we're going next either.

"The FA Cup final is too far away to think about, I can't see that far ahead. We need seven points to stay up and they seem bloody miles away at the moment.

"I said when I first came to Boro that the job will take a few years to bear fruit and I still believe that.

"A trophy would be nice but league points are what really count.

"We are still in trouble and until it's a mathematical certainty that we're safe we can't relax. There's a long way to go before we can call this season a success.

"There are all sorts of different scenarios that could yet arise - whether or not we stay in the Premiership and whether or not we progress in the FA Cup. But at the moment we've won sod all."

Few approaching this afternoon's encounter are anticipating anything but a dour, low-scoring affair. But McClaren will not care a jot as long as his team's name makes the draw for the semi-finals.

"You only have to look at us and look at Everton," said McClaren, resigning himself to the suggestion that the game will be no classic.

"We play to our strengths and try to build a sound defensive platform to spring from. But we have improved going forward in recent months.

"Alen Boksic has returned after injury to give us the spark we all know he's capable of, Szilard Nemeth's done a fantastic job coming off the bench.

"Benito Carbone has come in and given us something we didn't have before and Noel Whelan has added another dimension to our game.

"We are looking better but we're far from the finished product. Keeping it tight at the back has got us results and if that has to be the way we go about things on Sunday then so be it. I'd rather it be tight and go through than lose a more open game.

"We're not concentrating too much on their gameplan, just as we didn't against Blackburn, Manchester United and Wimbledon in the last rounds. But it's important to strive for the right balance between what your players do and what the opposition do.

"It's a great chance for us and if we take it, great. If we don't we'll have some regrets over a missed opportunity but start thinking about seven Premiership points again."

McClaren will be forced into at least two changes from the team that drew 1-1 at Southampton, as Ugo Ehiogu sits out the first game of his two-match ban while Carbone is cup-tied.

Gianluca Festa is likely to fill in for Ehiogu, Robbie Stockdale will return at rightback, while Szilard Nemeth fronts the queue to replace Carbone.

Skipper Paul Ince, who like Stockdale missed the Southampton game with a groin injury, should be fit to return to midfield.

And he will relish going head-to-head with former England and Boro team-mate Paul Gascoigne, who is certain to start for injury-crippled Everton.

Kevin Campbell is out while Walter Smith must also do without Mark Pembridge (calf), Steve Watson (ankle), Duncan Ferguson (hamstring) and Gary Naysmith (ankle), while Lee Carsley is cup-tied.

David Ginola has been left out of the squad entirely, leaving Smith with just Tomasz Radzinski and Joe-Max Moore to choose from up front.